THE ESTATE
In the heart of Tuscany, nestled in the Chianti hills
In the heart of Tuscany, nestled in the Chianti hills
The name I Balzini has its origin in the word balza, that in Tuscan means small crag, the area on which our vines are planted.
I Balzini is a typical Tuscan working farm, with a farmhouse, fields, yard, garden, vegetable garden, and cellar. It is surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and pastures. In the distance, clearly visible, is the medieval village of San Gimignano.
I Balzini is a typical Tuscan working farm, with a farmhouse, fields, yard, garden, vegetable garden, and cellar. It is surrounded by olive groves, vineyards, and pastures. In the distance, clearly visible, is the medieval village of San Gimignano.
The estate is 10 hectares (around 25 acres) large, of which 7 are under vine. Cabernet and Sauvignon vines are planted in front of the house. The terrain is of pliocenic origin, sedimentary, and characterized by silty yellow sands and clay layers – known as tufaceous – rich in marine fossils. Sangiovese and Mammolo vines sit in ecocenic terrain formed from the disintegration of limestone.
The local microclimate has high temperature variations, especially around the time grapes mature. The vineyards are at about 250m above sea level and south-west facing. The row of vines are aligned on a north-south axis, to receive maximum sunlight, while the sloped terrain helps prevent water stagnation. Additionally, a basin-like shape of the terrain protects the plants from aggressive atmospheric events and guarantees smooth organic farming.
I balzini are lifelong organic winemakers and officially certified in 2020. We exclusively use contact-only organic products in our vineyards. We take great care of our plants throughout their life cycle, working them often and precisely, using ad hoc machines, such as the trump removal machine.
OUR WINES
At I Balzini, grape harvesting begins with the preparation of the base, or, to use a more technical jargon, of the “pied-de-curve”, which is used for spontaneous alcoholic fermentation. To do this, we pick only the most mature grape bunches, the most perfect of them all. The microorganisms in their skin have unique features, determined by the environment, the soil, and agronomic decisions, and hence they are ideal to jump start a special and unrepeatable fermentation process. The outcome is the perfect base for the harvest of the remaining plants.
We hand-pick our grapes, place them in small boxes, and carry them to the cellar, where they are gently pressed with the remover-pressing machine. Afterwards, they are placed in vats, awaiting for natural alcoholic fermentation, with no added yeasts, as well as drawing off. Before malo-lactic fermentation, we press the pomace again, and then rack it off.
Depending on which wine we are making, part of the must is moved to barriques, while the rest goes into steel tins. We mix the blends, so that every type is prepared for its journey in the months or years to come.
Once bottled, the wine is preserved in vinplac with controlled temperatures and humidity levels, without labels and without capsules. This way it is easier to check its state of conservation and decide when it is time for it to leave the cellar. Every wine of every year is periodically checked to verify its evolution and quality.
We hand-pick our grapes, place them in small boxes, and carry them to the cellar, where they are gently pressed with the remover-pressing machine. Afterwards, they are placed in vats, awaiting for natural alcoholic fermentation, with no added yeasts, as well as drawing off. Before malo-lactic fermentation, we press the pomace again, and then rack it off.
Depending on which wine we are making, part of the must is moved to barriques, while the rest goes into steel tins. We mix the blends, so that every type is prepared for its journey in the months or years to come.
Once bottled, the wine is preserved in vinplac with controlled temperatures and humidity levels, without labels and without capsules. This way it is easier to check its state of conservation and decide when it is time for it to leave the cellar. Every wine of every year is periodically checked to verify its evolution and quality.
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